Let’s start with the assumption you are an awesome water manager or at least have responsibility for water management on a property. Why would you need a checklist for water management? Creating checklists for routine and complex procedures helps you manage a specific set of parameters on a regular basis. As more tools become available to measure water use, consistency in management is a critical success factor. So, if you can consistently review these four… Read more »

Giving your plants too much water is one of the biggest issues I see in landscapes today. The mistake of overwatering your plants is not easy to diagnose. In many instances too much water mimics the signs of too little water. Below are four signs you can easily recognize to determine if you are giving your landscape too much water.

Your plant is wilting but it looks like it has plenty of water

Smart controllers are making a positive impact on water management. What makes a controller smart? There are several reasons and right at the top of the list is the ability to sense flow. Flow sensors are affordable devices that can be installed to detect and automatically shut down the irrigation system when breaks, malfunctions or vandalism occur. Flow sensing should be part of any large irrigation system. Flow sensors are set… Read more »

Two years ago we launched ValleyCresttakeson.com and it has been amazing how many people helped make a difference in water conservation. Thank you to all of you who have shared your expertise, contributed ideas, and helped raise awareness about water. We couldn’t have done it without you. Most of the work on the blog is done after hours, and most of our subscribers read the blog after hours. This is not just our work; it… Read more »

By now we’re all pretty well programmed to conserve electricity. Turn off the lights, unplug appliances, don’t leave the refrigerator door open, etc. But we’re missing a really important point: the energy-water connection. Almost one fifth of California’s energy is used to move water. Water conservation and water management are becoming vital to energy conservation. Nearly 75% of the state’s rainfall occurs in Northern California, while 75% of the agricultural and urban water use… Read more »

Inspect what you expect

We have all heard the term, “Inspect what you expect.” Measurement of performance is one of the quickest ways to inspire change. The water management industry could benefit from real time water use data to measure and report the amount of water used on a daily basis. The non-profit group Charity Water (www.charitywater.org) focused on a project done at Teague, a manufacturing firm. Teague measured the amount of… Read more »

1. To improve water conservation install a rain sensor, it turns off your irrigation when it rains. 2. Use a weather-based controller. The use of smart controllers can reduce water usage 24% a year on average. 3. Learn about available rebate programs by checking with local or state water agencies. Rebates help offset irrigation investments. 4. It’s important to partner with the right expertise (contractor/water manager), and smart technology to achieve conservation and plant health… Read more »

In the last 12 months Valleycresttakeson.com had over 41,000 page views. A clear sign more people are finding water interesting, or at least pricing and the potential of water shortages are attracting their interest. Water management and water conservation continue to gain popularity. Domestically, the states with the most readers are California, Texas and Florida, followed by Georgia, Arizona and Colorado. New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Virginia round out the top 10 states. … Read more »

As I write this post I wonder, will December bring us a Santa Claus rally in the stock market or will we drive off a fiscal cliff? Well the good news is we are going to know in less than a month. Almost a year ago I wrote our supply of water is limited, but as long as we demand to water our lawns at noon or have lawns in sweltering climates, increased demand should… Read more »